Mammals and birds, particularly commercial poultry flocks, are often at risk due to exposure to various viral or fungal infections. Such exposure can arise in the natural environment, particularly the dairy or poultry farm, or from unusual situations such as surgery, accidents or wounds. The mammalian body defends against viral and fungal infections by an immunological sequence of events stimulated by the presence of the invasive entity such as virus, bacteria or fungus, the end result of which is the production of T-cells which act in conjunction with macrophages to promote phagocytosis.
Some mammals are deficient in this immunological response either because of some metabolic malfunction, or due to medical treatment such as chemotherapy or spleenectomy. Many domestic animals, particularly poultry, seem to be constantly susceptible to such infections and do not respond immunologically with sufficient rapidity to prevent the loss of large numbers of them. Turkey flocks are especially sensitive in this regard. This leads to significant increases in the costs of turkey husbandry.
A material to enhance the immunological response of mammals to infection would be an important addition to the armamentarium of the physician or veterinarian. Such a substance could be used prophylactically with subjects constantly exposed to infection, defensively with subjects about to undergo surgery, or supportively to improve the immunological response of subjects already suffering from an active infection or recovering from surgery or other trauma.